Sonoma’s Ledson buys Moon Mountain land

Sonoma producer Steve Ledson has bought 53ha in Sonoma Valley’s Moon Mountain, a region that is currently being considered for official AVA status.

Ledson

Norman conquest: the Ledson Winery, Kenwood

Ledson, of Ledson Vineyards in Sonoma and Zina Hyde Winery in Anderson Valley, is a Sonoma farmer and vintner of many generations’ standing.

He is perhaps best known for the Normandy-inspired castle he built in 1989 on Highway 12 in Kenwood, which houses his winery.

The new vineyard, on the western slopes of the Mayacamas Mountain range, is currently planted to Rhône and Bordeaux varietals and previously belonged to Dan Schaefer, who used the fruit at his Audelssa winery.

Ledson plans to start a new label for what he calls ‘premium mountain fruit’ and will replant the site in phases. He has been making wine from the vineyard since 2003 and calls it ‘a phenomenol site’ with the potential to become a ‘world class vineyard property’.

Audelssa, which is now owned by winemaker Erich Bradley will source its fruit from elsewhere on Moon Mountain.

Ledson says he was only vaguely aware of the AVA petition when he purchased the land but is supportive of it.

The Schaefers had not been instrumental in crafting the petition, so it is unlikely that their selling the land will have a negative effect on the passage of the AVA.